Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week - Feb. 17

Big South Announces Baseball Players of the Week - Feb. 17

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – Gardner-Webb catcher Zack Thompson (LaGrange, Ga.) has been named the Big South Baseball Player of the Week, while High Point’s Ty Brachbill (Shelbyville, Ill.) is the Starting Pitcher of the Week for games played during the opening weekend of the 2026 regular season, it was announced today. In addition, Longwood’s Jackson Nash (Monroe, N.C.) was selected as the Relief Pitcher of the Week, while Longwood’s Brady Hoover (Harrisonburg, Va.) is the Freshman of the Week honoree.
 
Thompson hit .714 (10-for-14) with eight runs scored, five RBI, two doubles and a triple for Gardner-Webb. He slugged 1.000 and posted a .750 on-base percentage with one walk and one hit by pitch. The senior recorded multiple hits in all four games, including two three-hit performances, to lead the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a 3-1 opening weekend against Valparaiso. Thompson posted at least one RBI and one run in every game and scored two or more runs in three of the four contests.
 
Brachbill worked 6.0 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out nine to earn his first win with High Point. He held opposing batters to a .105 average and faced just three batters over the minimum through six innings. The junior struck out the side in the top of the third inning and recorded multiple strikeouts in four of his six innings of work. His nine strikeouts established a new career high.
 
Nash entered in the 12th inning and struck out nine batters over 4.0 innings to help Longwood defeat NJIT in the bottom of the 15th. He allowed no runs on two hits and one walk. The junior faced the minimum through his first three innings before escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the 15th by striking out the side to earn the win. He recorded at least two strikeouts in every inning.
 
Hoover tossed 6.0 scoreless innings to earn the win in his collegiate debut as Longwood defeated NJIT. He allowed four hits with no walks while striking out six. The freshman right-hander retired the side in order in two of his six innings and closed out his first career start with back-to-back strikeouts in the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
Also nominated for Player of the Week: Kain Collins (Charleston Southern), Willie Ponce (High Point), Brogran Jones (Longwood), Amman Dewberry (Presbyterian), Devin Parks (Radford), Blaize Johnson (UNC Asheville), Maloy Heaghney (USC Upstate) and Alan Benhardt (Winthrop).
 
Also nominated for Starting Pitcher of the Week: Brady Bickett (Charleston Southern), Reid Bertram (Gardner-Webb), Jaxon Lloyd (Longwood), Andrew Steinhaus (Radford), Brent Stukes (USC Upstate) and Luke Earnhardt (Winthrop).
 
Also nominated for Relief Pitcher of the Week: Tyler Henshaw (Charleston Southern), Colby Putnam (Gardner-Webb), Tyler Shafer (High Point), Bauer Burkart (Presbyterian), Daniel Quintana (Radford), Drew Turner (UNC Asheville), Cayden Mackey (USC Upstate) and Harrison Wilson (Winthrop).
 
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Caden Wolfley (Charleston Southern), Colby Putnam (Gardner-Webb), Jonathan Williams (Presbyterian), Ben Green (UNC Asheville) and Andrew Kummer (USC Upstate).